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Cigars of the Pharaoh: Meaning of "And the glass is still falling"?

paulcrompton
Member
#1 · Posted: 9 Nov 2004 10:42
In the Joy Street-Little Brown version page12, panel 8: Allan says

"And the glass is still falling" in the middle of a sentence.

It is raining at the time and the picture shows water falling down the glass, but surely no-one outside a funny farm would say that?
Big Ren
Member
#2 · Posted: 9 Nov 2004 16:24
As far as I know glass is another word for barometer, so he meant the pressure was still falling.
Harrock n roll
Moderator
#3 · Posted: 9 Nov 2004 16:52
I always thought he meant the rain (in Cigars, no?) but Big Ren could be right. I'd also point out to Paul that the US Little-Brown editions are the same translation as the UK Methuen/Egmont - which does have some curious Britishisms.
jock123
Moderator
#4 · Posted: 9 Nov 2004 23:20
I'm sure Ren is right; glass is here a word for a barometer, and is still used by sailors. I've done a search on Google for examples, and came up with the following words of wisdom here:

The Barometer

Long foretold, long last,
Short notice, soon past,
Quick rise after low,
Sure sign of stronger blow.

When the glass falls low,
Prepare for a blow;
When it slowly rises high,
Lofty canvas you may fly.

At sea with low and falling glass
Soundly sleeps a careless ass,
Only when it's high and rising
Truly rests a careful wise one.

Before embarking on your solo circumnavigation of the globe, I'll add their words of warning
"Although there is a considerable degree of truth in them, these rhymes are not infallible and you should use them with caution".

Richard
UK Correspondent
#5 · Posted: 9 Nov 2004 23:47
And in the French edition, Allan says, "Fichu temps! Et le baromètre qui descend encore." So it does indeed refer to the barometer.

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